For your trip, I’d pick Sultanahmet close to the tram stop. You can see something in the morning and walk back for the toddler’s nap without adding a tram ride every time.
Look just behind the main street where the tram runs, near the Basilica Cistern and the main square. Pick a side street with a level walk back to the hotel, rather than a room facing the tracks. Watch the listings further downhill towards the sea: they still say “Sultanahmet,” but that lovely sea view can come with an uphill push every morning.
And yep, don’t trust “Karaköy” in the hotel title alone. Look at the actual pin. Near the ferry pier and waterfront restaurants, you’re on the lower, flatter part. Towards Galata Tower, you’re heading uphill. “Five minutes from the waterfront” sounds lovely until you see the slope 😅
Karaköy works well for food and ferries, but a room above a busy restaurant street wouldn’t be my pick for early bedtime. Sultanahmet suits your sightseeing-and-nap routine better, though rooms facing tram tracks, busy restaurants or mosque loudspeakers can still be noisy.
Dinner and snacks are easy in either area. For diapers, look for a proper supermarket nearby. Those little shops packed with magnets and sweets aren’t much use for that.
Ask whether the elevator reaches your actual room without stairs before or after it. “We have a lift” isn’t the whole answer in an old building. I’d also ask for a room away from the street and not directly under the breakfast terrace or rooftop bar. Check recent reviews for noise—“quiet room requested” won’t fix thin walls.
I’d take an easy walk back from Sultanahmet’s main square over a rooftop view down a steep hill. You’ll use that route several times a day.
